Separating of solids and liquids.



E. G. SPILSBUBY.

SEPARATING 0F soups AND LIQUIDS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 30, 1909.

Patented June 6, 1911.

Evy

; UNITED STATES" PATENT OFFICE.

EDMUND GYBIBON SPILSBURY, or NEW EocHELLE, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR To JUSTPROCESS COMPANY, 01* SYRACUSE, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION or NEW YORK.

SEPARATING OF SOLIDS AND LIQUIDS.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented J une 6, 1911,

Application filed November 30, 1909. Serial No. 530,547.

.State of New York, have invented certain new and useful ImprovementsRelating to the Separating of Solids and Liquids, of

which the following is a specification, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, forming a part hereof.

The improvements are particularly applicable to the treatment oforewhich is to undergo the cyanid process of the metal extraction andfor that reason will be explained more particularly with suchapplication in view, although the invention may be embodied in filtersfor use in various other connections. a

As the cyanid process is generally carried on today, the crushed ore,after being subjected to cyanidation, is filtered in large immovabletanks provided with filters of different sorts through which thesolution is either driven or drawn, the insoluble portions thereof beingleft upon the filter surface as an incrusted cake or thick coating whichis usually made to undergo a washing or other treatment to recover itscontained values. In carrying out the present invention an apparatus maybe utilized in which the treatment of the ore maybe eflected in thefirst instance as well as the subsequent filtering and which apparatusshould be particularly adapted for the convenient treatment anddischarge of the residual cake.

The improvements may best be described with reference to 'a practicalembodiment thereof, and one such embodiment is shown in the accompanyingdrawings in which,

Figure 1 represents the same in side elevation, one side of the tankbeing broken away to show the filtering septum, and Fig. 2 is a viewthereof in transverse section the plane pi f which is indicated by theline 2-2 in I t should be mentioned that the drawings are not intendedto illustrate an apparatus complete in all its accessories for carryingon or practicing any particular process in the arts but is simplydesigned to illustrate the application of the present invention to afiltering tank which may be used as a cyanid tank or for some otherpurpose with such appropriateadaptation as the particular use maydictate. As such, the apparatus in the present case comprises a tank 0,having a bottom 6 and, provided therein across the.

bottomb, a rigid porous septum 0, preferably of a mineral composition,which constitutes the filtering element.

Whenthe apparatus is used in practicin the cyanid process, the crushedore may be introduced into the tank and there treated in accordance withthe details of this process and then the cyanided solution may be drawnofi'through the septum 0 by means of a piplng d which is adapted to beconnected to a suitable exhaust apparatus in order to pro duce a suctionto draw the liquid through the septum. When the solution has been thuswithdrawn, the solid or insoluble matter therein will be left incrustedupon the top of the septum a; and,'-in the case of the cyanid process,it will be preferable to wash this residue in order to obtaintheretained values. For this purpose, the pipe 03 may be connected to awater main so as to drive water up through the septum 0, thus break-'ing up the cake and stirring it up in the water as it flows in, or byintroducing water 1nto the top of the tank and compressed air throughthe pipe (13 in order to blow the cake from the septum and distribute itthroughout the added water. Whichever method is followed is immaterialto the present invention. Thereafter, the pipe is connected so that theliquid may again be drawn off and leave the solid matter once moreincrusted upon the top of the septum.

It will now be assumed that the cake of solid matter has beensufficiently treated, so far as the present apparatus is concerned, andis to' be removed therefrom. I have discovered that if the tank betilted or inverted sufiiciently to permit the cake to drop out by avity,there will be enough moisture retalned in the septum 0 to act upon theunder face of the cake next to the septum, thereby softening the sameand preupon rollers 6, each end and the middle of the tank beingprovided, as shown, with an annulus f which has a peripheral flange toengage in the peripheries of the corresponding rollers. Moreover, thetank is also provided with a gear-annulus f (shown as a sector in thepresent case) and ,adapted to be engaged by a pinion g whichis connectedto.

a suitable mechanism for rotating or tilting the tank to a suflicientangle to bring it into the desired position for discharging. The frontend of the tank a is made preferably flaring to assist in thedischarging and the tube d is made flexible to allow for the motion ofthe tank. Instead of imparting a blow to the tank it will ordinarily bepreferable to loosen the cake by applying compressed air through thepipe d.

It will be obvious that the invention may be carried out'in variousother forms of apparatuses than that specifically described and thatvarious changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scopeof my invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. The method of separating solids from liquids consisting inwithdrawing the liquid down througha porous rigidsep'tum which willretain moisture therein then tilting the septum and while the moistureis still retained therein forcing gaseous fluid backward through theseptum against the residue thereupon to remove the latter.

2. In the method of separating solids from liquids the withdrawing ofthe liquid down through a porous rigid septum which will retain liquidin the pores thereof and leav ing the residue thereupon then tilting theseptum and when intilted position and while liquid is contained in thepores forcing air back through the septum and allowing the residue toslide therefrom.

3. The method which consists in filtering off the liquid from a mixtureof solids and liquids by passing the liquid down through a porous rigidmineral septum which Wlll retain liquid therein and depositing the solidmatter thereupon as a residue and then while liquid is contained in thepores of-the septum forcing a gaseous fluid backward through the septumthereby facilitating the sliding and removing of the residue from theseptum.

This specification signed and witnessed this 29th day of November, A.D., 1909.

E. GYBBON SPILSBURY.

Signed in the presence of LUoIUs E. VARNEY,

G. MCGRANN.

